When the 'early music
movement' came into existence, the music
of the Middle Ages attracted much attention
from performers and audiences alike.
It isn't that long ago that ensembles
came onto the stage with a large battery
of instruments to reveal the colourful
and in many ways mysterious world of
medieval music. But since then a lot
has changed. Ensembles are performing
a greater variety of repertoire than
about 20 years ago, and the style of
playing and singing has changed considerably
as well. One wonders, though, whether
the audiences of today have a better
understanding of the medieval world
than some decades ago. How many people
still think the ‘Middle Ages’ was a
rather dark period, in which the Crusades
cost many people’s lives, women were
suppressed and the Church forbade scientists
to think independently?

One writer aptly described
the respective attitudes of the consecutive
cultural eras towards the Middle Ages:
"The Renaissance invented the Middle
Ages in order to define itself; the
Enlightenment perpetuated them in order
to admire itself; and the Romantics
revived them in order to escape from
themselves. In their widest ramifications
'The Middle Ages' thus constitute one
of the most prevalent cultural myths
of the modern world." (B. Stock)

In fact, what we call
‘Middle Ages’ was a period of many changes
and differences. Whereas the 10th century
was full of fear and instability because
of the invasion of barbarians, the 11th
and 12th centuries were a period of
great development. It was the time of
the foundation of universities. The
Crusades, as much damage as they caused,
also brought the western world into
contact with the scientific and cultural
achievements of the East. And in music
a system of musical notation was developed,
which allowed music to be handed down
from one musician to another in written
form rather than just orally.

This recording shows
the great variety in the repertoire
of sacred music as sung in monasteries
and abbeys. One hears both monodic and
polyphonic pieces, and one discovers
the freedom with which liturgical texts
were treated, as is demonstrated in
the ‘trope’, embellishments of liturgical
chants in words and music. And composers
also used texts with a very personal
character, as Marie-Noël Colette
writes in the booklet: "Music was used
as a vehicle for expressing ... the
fruits of theological reflection, philosophical
speculation, meditation on the divine
mysteries and their earthy or symbolic
representation".

The compositions of
Hildegard of Bingen are a good example
of such use of music. In particular
in the 1990’s these were very often
performed and recorded. It wasn’t only
her music which fascinated many people,
but also the fact that she occupied
herself with theology, philosophy and
music in a world dominated by men.

But she wasn’t the
only woman to do so. The other figure
on this disc is Herrad of Hohenburg
(often referred to as Herrad of Landsberg),
who was abbess of a monastery at the
hill of St Odilie. The title of this
disc refers to the encyclopedia she
put together, which contained an overview
of the scientific knowledge of her time,
and also includes a number of musical
compositions, although she seems not
to have composed any music herself.
Hildegard and Herrad are the centre
around which the programme on this disc
has been chosen. In addition to pieces
by Hildegard and from Herrad’s ‘Hortus
deliciarum’ Discantus is performing
pieces from their time, which they could
have known.

The performance of
this music by Discantus is as good as
one could wish for. All voices are ideally
suited for this kind of music. Surprisingly
it is the ensemble’s director, Brigitte
Lesne, who uses some vibrato in her
solo contributions. The other singers
do without it, fortunately. It makes
the often lively rhythms and the sometimes
unusual harmonies come through very
clearly. The quite exalted character
of some pieces is dealt with in a rather
poised way, and rightly so. Both in
regard to repertoire and performance
this disc can be wholeheartedly recommended.

Johan van Veen

[The
Hortus Deliciarum is a large compilation
of texts from Biblical, traditional
and theological sources to treat the
history of the world from creation to
its final consummation at the end of
time. This compilation made by Herrad,
abbess of Hohenbourg in Alsace between
1176-1196, also includes numerous illustrations
of high quality that explain the text
and entertain the reader. more
information]

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